This invention relates to a ceiling fan and more particularly a ceiling fan with retractable blades.
Ceiling fans with retractable blades are well known. One of the advantages of having retractable blades in a ceiling fan is that when the fan incorporates a light the fan in the refracted non use condition can constitute an attractive ceiling mounted centre light without unsightly blades. When the fan is operated the blades project radially outwardly to operate as a fan and then are retracted when the fan is not in use.
Ceiling fans with retractable blades are not new but they do suffer from inherent weaknesses often caused by out of balance forces generated as the blades swing outwardly. These forces can cause the blades to contact each other during the retraction process. These fans are also prone to clonking noises as the blades either expand outwardly or retract. All of these issues reduce the attractiveness of the proposition and it the consideration of these issues that have brought about the present invention.